March 19, 2024

Searchers find body of former Jasper County man in Union County lake

Funeral for Richard Gander planned for Saturday

CRESTON (AP) — A Creston high school teacher, who was a former Killduff resident and also a graduate of Lynnville-Sully High School, reportedly drowned this week while fishing on a Union County lake.

Authorities were called Monday evening to report an empty boat on Twelve Mile Lake, about four miles east of Creston. An investigation indicated the boat’s occupant had drowned, and crews searched the lake until nightfall.

The search resumed Tuesday morning, and the Union County Sheriff’s Office reported a body was found by a dive team about 10:20 a.m. The victim was identified as 45-year-old Creston resident Richard Lee Gander.

A funeral service for Gander will be at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at the Wallace Family Funeral Home and Crematory in Newton. The family will greet friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at the funeral home.

Gander is survived by his father, Delbert Gander of Newton; siblings, Steve Gander of Polk City and Carla Gander of Newton; and his nieces, Brittany Gander and Jami Gander of Newton.

Gander grew up north of Killduff and was a 1987 graduate of Lynnville-Sully High School before receiving his degree in education from Central College. He was currently serving as a high school math teacher and ninth-grade softball coach at Creston High School. Prior to that he taught and coached at both Centerville and Twin Cedars.